Money talks
Sessions one to four of Keeneland's September Yearling Sale provided plenty of positive results ahead of the remaining seven days' selling, which resumed on Saturday (15th).
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Topping the table were seven lots to break the $1m mark, headed by a Distorted Humor colt purchased by Shadwell Estate Company, the week's leading buyers, for $1,650,000. Out of the Grade 1-winning mare Mushka (Empire Maker), Hip 131 was one of 17 yearlings bought by Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum's breeding operation, including another by the same sire for $850,000.
Demi O'Byrne signed for the second highest lot of the four days when bidding $1,550,000 for a son of Darley's Jonabell Farm resident Bernardini, while third place was filled by the $1,300,000 Smart Strike filly consigned by Brookdale Sales. The seventh lot to break a million, a Street Cry half-brother to Belmont Stakes runner-up and Grade 1 Haskell Invitational winner Paynter, was sold by Taylor Made Sales Agency, who finished the four days as leading consignor.
This first section of the sale included a one day select session, halved from 2011 resulting in a shorter opener to the 11 day sale. A total of 655 yearlings passed under the hammer during the week, totalling $132,853,000; whilst aggregate is not comparable owing to the smaller catalogue, median held sway at $150,000, whilst the average showed a 5% rise from $192,851 to $202,828.
The sale concludes on Friday 21st September.